The New Wedding Trends Southern Brides Need to Know

Patterned envelope liners, custom monograms and seals, marbled paper, and unexpected materials like laser-cut paper and tin or Lucite invites are ways to make your wedding stand out. While you can establish an overarching theme for your entire stationery suite, you could pick just one or two elements to go more modern with—maybe your save-the-dates or programs.

After several years of neutral and muted color palettes, pops of bright color look fresh and modern now. One color we are particularly drawn to? Pantone's color of the year, greenery. And though it's not on the bright spectrum, millennial pink is a trendy color we're on board with for weddings: a not-too-sweet pale pink that pairs well with almost everything—a hue made for romance. Because of that, it won't look too dated down the road either.

Wedding trends often follow what's popular in fashion and home decor, and the rise of rose gold and copper accessories is no exception. Swapping traditional silver pieces with the pink-hued metal will set your reception apart—and is the perfect choice if your signature cocktail is a take on a Moscow Mule.

In a move that has everyone's budgets thanking them, lots of brides are choosing full, lush greenery—for both decor and bouquets—in place of dramatic, colorful floral arrangements. Hanging ivy, bouquets of eucalyptus, and magnolia-leaf garland are all decor options we've loved seeing more of this year

Wedding food isn't always memorable, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be. We're really loving the trend of food and drink pairings that go beyond the expected wine and cheese. Think margaritas and bite-size tacos, or fried chicken and a custom bourbon cocktail. Perfect for being passed during your cocktail hour or in place of a sit-down dinner, serving non-traditional food that your guests will remember—and actually like—is a win-win for everyone.

After several years of donut walls, cupcake towers, pies, and other alternative desserts, we're pleased to see a return to more traditional tiered wedding cakes. The unfrosted "Naked Cake" is still popular, and its unique appearance is being riffed on with the Almost-Naked Cake (a clear glaze over an unfrosted cake) and the Drip Cake, the icing technique that creates a paint spill effect, like the one here.

First came love, then came the hashtag, then came a custom Snapchat filter. The newest trend in capturing your wedding day isn't actually tech-y at all. Lots of couples have turned to hiring an artist to do a live painting during their wedding. It's a sort of entertainment for your guests to watch and a one-of-a-kind memory for you.

Wedding dress styles run the gamut, but a few styles we're seeing more of this year are flutter sleeves instead of a more expected cap sleeve, 3D flower appliqués, and off-the-shoulder wedding dresses, which after how much we wore our off-the-shoulder shirts last summer, we love any bride choosing this unique dress style.